1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to storage devices, such as gift boxes and secure-hold shipping boxes and more particularly to closure apparatus in which eating utensils may be stored in such a manner as to prevent contamination and/or to dynamically display in an attractive manner, as well as methods for making and using such closure apparatus.
2. Prior Art
Various types of cutlery holding devices are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,220,559 entitled “Holder for Tableware” issued to Riebe on Mar. 27, 1917, a soft fabric holder for tableware of a type from which tableware utensils are inserted or withdrawn is described. The holder described in the '559 patent can be constructed of a suitable soft material and has a number of compartments adapted to receive an article of tableware. However, the disclosed tableware holder has side walls into which the utensils must be placed and from which they must be removed, which may not be regarded as convenient to manufacture today or into which to insert an item of tableware. Furthermore, the space on top of the disclosed tableware holder for insertion and removal of utensils is limited and less convenient than may be desired in a modern holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,729,258 entitled “Silver Flat-Ware Case” issued Jan. 3, 1956 to Pentland et al. describes a silver flatware case for use in the home wherein multiple place-settings may be conveniently stored and retained when not in use. The apparatus described in the '258 patent is a flexible multi-compartmented or multi-partitioned expansible and collapsible case having partitions of gradually varying height. The case will stand up on its base with the partitions in a vertical position. However, the disclosed case does not scale well to single person place settings, and it may be considered inconvenient at a meal to stand the case upright on its base to remove the utensils from the case at a meal.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,213 entitled “Silverware Holder” issued Oct. 28, 1975 to Graham, Jr., discloses what appears to be a silverware holder having rigid compartments. The size, rigidity and weight of such an apparatus may also make such a holder inconvenient for use to enclose a place setting at a table.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,661 entitled “Cutlery Tray with Roll-Top Enclosure” issued Nov. 6, 2007 to DeFino discloses a cutlery receptacle that includes a housing having a roll-top cover movable between an open and a closed position with mating members of a locking mechanism incorporated respectively in the housing and cover. Although this type of enclosure might, in principle, provide a convenient holder for a place setting at a table, its construction is rather complex and the apparatus itself may be so expensive as not to be considered disposable.
It would thus be desirable to provide a closure or a box that can be used as a holder for a place setting at a table, and yet is attractive and simple to make while being inexpensive enough to be considered disposable.